1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an optical sensor device for local analysis of a combustion process in a combustor of a thermal power plant, in particular a gas turbine plant.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
An important aspect of operating highly advanced thermal power plants, especially gas turbine plants, concerns the quality of combustion and the generation of hot gases for powering turbine stages. It is a known fact that from analyzing hot gases shortly after the combustion process and before entering the turbine stages, valuable information about burner quality and emission values can be derived for online optimizing procedures concerning the combustion process.
Due to the very high temperature level inside a combustor the choice of available sensor systems withstanding such temperatures beyond 1000° C. is very limited. No durable sensor system is presently known which is applicable and reliable for measuring burner parameters in a very direct manner. Optical remote sensing systems are known which, however, have to be secured against the high temperatures inside the combustor. This requirement confines reliability and place of installation.
One of the inventors hereof, Valery Shklover, discussed some aspects of self-assembling spherical colloidal SiO2 nanoparticles in Shklover, Valery, Formation of Aligned Microfiber Arrays via Self-Assembling SiO2 Nanocolloids. Change of Microfiber Structure during Annealing, 17 Chem. Mater. 608-614 (American Chemical Society, 8 Jan. 2005), the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.